Ball joints



J. LATZEN BALL JOINTS Sept. 13, 1966 Original Filed June 10, 1954INVENIOR J'osEF LATZEN M%W9%M ATTDRN EYS United States Patent 1 Claim.(Cl. 287-90) This application is a division of my copending application,Serial No. 435, 890, filed June 10, 1954, and now abandoned.

The invention relates to a ball joint for the transmission of steeringand control forces or the like, more especially for steering and controllinkages of automobile vehicles, in which the spherical head of a pinrests in a concave surface in the joint housing, which latter is closedby a cover on that side remote from the outlet of the ball pin from thehousing, and has for its object to provide an automaticallyself-adjusting ball joint which has a greater reliable effective lifeand freedom from maintenance on account of this fact.

It is based on the discovery that a really effective selfadjustment isonly obtained when the self-adjustment is eifected in all directions.Based on this discovery, the spherical head is non-positively secured inthe housing both axially and in a direction transversely thereof. Thisnon-positive securing of the ball pin in the housing provides, inaddition to the self-adjustment which is obtained, the further advantagethat the joint is less subjected to the disturbing effects of vibrationsand shocks, more especially during angular deflections, because thepower connection ensures a more or less yielda-ble taking up of thesestresses without impairing the ball seating.

In detail, the power connection or closed linkage may be effected by thefact that a member resiliently enclosing the ball under pressure isprovided above the plane extending transversely of the ball pin axisthrough the center of the spherical head.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description in conjunction with the drawings, whichillustrate differen-t constructional examples of the invention, withoutthe invention being restricted to such examples.

In the constructional example according to the figure, the interior ofthe joint housing 1 is tapered in a slightly conical manner from thehousing aperture towards the outlet point 6 of the ball pin 2 from thejoint housing. Inside the housing, an annular member 3 is inserted fromthe closure side and positioned above the plane disposed transversely ofthe axis of the ball pin through the center of the spherical head, whichmember is of wedge-shape in cross-section owing to the fact that itbears on the inside wall of the housing and the spherical head 8. Theannular member is variable in diameter and may for this purpose consistof separate segments, a gap being left between adjacent segments. In amore advantageous form, the annular member consists of elastic material.Acting on the annular member is a helical spring 4 which is supported onthe cover 5 of the housing.

The interior of the housing 1, tapering in slightly conical form fromthe side of the housing which is closed towards the point at which thepin 2 issues from the latter, extends as far as the outlet point 6,where it is delined by a shoulder 7. An annular member 9 bearing on thespherical head 8 is also provided below the plane "ice transversely ofthe axis of tha ball pin 2 and extending through the center of the saidhead 8, the said member 9 consisting of a slotted ring of resilientmaterial. A gap 10 is left between the shoulder 7 and. the annularmember 9. A resilient means 103 may be arranged on the shoulder 7underneath the ring 9.

A plate 14 is provided between the spring 4 and the annular member 3,said plate being arched outwardly to correspond to the curvature of theball head 8. A gap 11 is left between the outwardly curved plate 14 andthe head 8. This gap 11 and the gap 10 operate as a wear gap, since thedisplacement clearance made possible thereby still permits the ball headto bear on the annular members, even when wear has occurred, depressedcentrally in the form of a cup. The bottom depressed central link in theform of a cup. The bottom of the cupped portion is curved outwardly tocorrespond to the curvature of the ball head.

As elastic material in the ball joints constructed in accordance withthe invention, it is recommended to employ glycolpolyesters which arereacted with diisocyanates, preferably naphthalene diisocyana-tes. Thismaterial is characterized by particular strength properties, resistanceto wear and also to aging, and may contain constituents increasing thesliding capacity. Morevover, plastics known as polyurethane may be usedfor the parts inserted in the housing and as a covering material for theball head.

'1 claim:

A self-adjusting ball and socket joint particularly adapted for thesteering and control linkages of automobiles comprising a joint housinghaving openings at opposite ends thereof, a ball head movably receivedwithin said joint housing, a ball pin connected to said ball head andextending outwardly through one of said openings in said joint housing,a cover closing the remaining opening in said joint housing, the innerwall of said joint housing having a slight conical taper from theclosure side of the housing towards the side at which the ball pinprojects from the housing, said conical taper of the inside of saidjoint housing extending as far as a shoulder at the outlet opening ofthe housing, resilient mounting means positioned within said housing toresiliently secure said ball head both axially of the ball pin and alsotransversely thereof to permit self-adjusting movement of said ball headin all directions, said mounting means including elastic ring meanshaving a substantially wedge-shaped cross section compressed betweensaid ball head and the inside wall of said housing and disposed so as toexert positive pressure on said ball head over an annular area of saidball head substantially symmetrical with the longitudinal axis of saidball pin and with substantial pressure components both axial of andtransverse to said ball pin axis, said elastic ring means including aring element of potentially variable diameter resiliently surroundingthe cover side of said head and an oppositely disposed slotted ringelement provided on the side at which the ball pin projects from thehousing, said ring elements being spaced on either side of a lineextending transverse to said ball pin axis and passing through thecenter of said head, said slotted ring element on the side of the headat which the ball pin projects from the housing being disposed in spacedrelationship with said shoulder of said housing to provide a lower weargap, a plate disposed between said cover and said ball head and bearingon a surface of said ring means, said plate having a curvaturecorresponding to that of said ball head and being spaced therefrom toprovide a wear gap, and helical spring means extending between saidcover and said plate, said helical spring means operating to load saidring means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,361,025 10/1944 Graham et a1.

4 Booth. La-tzen. Connolly. M'oskovitz.

Thomson 30872 X Langen 287--87 CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

A. V. KUNDRAT, Assistant Examiner.

